Quality of honey bees Apis mellifera sold in the state of Alagoas, Brasil

Abstract

The present study aimed to determine the quality of honey marketed in the State of Alagoas, Brazil. Fifteen samples of Apis mellifera L. honey sold in supermarkets, free trade, and cooperative located in the State of Alagoas were acquired. Microbiological and physical-chemical analyzes were carried out to establish a standard microbiology condition and check for possible tampering. The physico-chemical analyzes showed that all the samples studied presented acid pH values ranging between 2.3 and 4.4. For diastase activity and reaction, Lugol which are indicative of the presence of starch and dextrin, and reaction Fiehe, which is a qualitative indicator of HMF, all samples were negative for at least the parameters. As the microbiological standard, 26.6% of all samples showed high standard count mesophilic aerobic bacteria, 20% had counts of molds and yeasts above the quality standards established by Brazilian law. For enumeration of coliforms at 35 and 45°C, it was found that most samples were contaminated (86.7%). It is the presence of sporulated bacteria in 13.3% of the samples, which were 15.26 and 84.64% genus Clostridium of the genus Bacillus.